The forward is valued at more than £500,000 by the League One club despite being in the final year of his contract – and Bury want to keep him as they eye promotion to the Championship. Sunderland boss Simon Grayson confirmed the club are in talks with Bury but Shakers boss Lee Clark confirmed that an offer has been rejected this week.

“Another bid from a Championship club has been turned down since we came away (on a training camp in Marbella),” he told the Bury Times.

“It did not meet the valuation we have for James. We don’t want to sell him and no matter what we won’t be selling him to another League One club.

“If James wants to go to a club that is in a higher division then that’s up to James, but his valuation must be met. We made that perfectly clear to James, he has given us his feedback and there are no issues.”

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The player is understood to be keen on the move but it will now depend on Sunderland upping the offer for a player they see as an option to fill the gap left by Jermain Defoe.